Apparatus and Method for Measuring Social Impact

Abstract

A method and apparatus for providing the full spread social impact score of individual users on defined issues beyond their direct adherents via a novel social media website is described. A social impact score may be compared with that of other individuals to provide a social impact rating. For this it employs the novel means of an affiliation tree, which may include its negative counterpart, the razzy tree. The same method and apparatus can be used for determining the market impact score and rating for individual message placements.

1 . An apparatus comprising:
 an initiator group, the initiator group having at least one initiator member;   a first group, the first group having at least one first group member;   a second group, the second group having at least one second group member;   a third group, the third group having at least one third group member;   a first network related to an issue of interest to the at least one initiator member;   a first invitation from the at least one initiator member to the at least one first group member to affiliate with the first network;   a first affiliation between the at least one first group member and the at least one initiator member;   a second invitation from the at least first group member to the at least one second group member to affiliate with the first network;   a second affiliation between the at least one second group member and the at least one first group member;   a third invitation from the at least second group member to the at least one third group member to affiliate with the first network;   a third affiliation between the at least one third group member and the at least one second group member;   an initiator social impact score, the initiator social impact score summing at least the number of first affiliations made at the invitation of the at least one initiator, the number of second affiliations made at the invitation of the at least one first group member and the number of third affiliations made at the invitation of the at least one second group member;   a first member social impact score, the first member social impact score summing at least the number of second affiliations made at the invitation of the at least one first group member and the number of third affiliations made at the invitation of the at least one second group member;   a second member social impact score, the second member social impact score summing at least the number of third affiliations made at the invitation of the at least one second group member;   wherein each of the at least one initiator member, each of the at least one first group member, each of the at least one second group member and each of the at least one third group member may affiliate with the first network a maximum of one time.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus as in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first network member selected from a group consisting of the at least one initiator member, the at least one first group member, the at least one second group member and the at least one third group member;   a first network social impact score that is associated with the first network member selected from a group consisting of the initiator social impact score, the first member social impact score and the second member social impact score;   a second network having at least one second network member with a second social impact score,   and wherein the second network member is also a first network member;   a total social impact score of the first network member comprising the sum of the first social impact score and the second social impact score.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus as in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one initiator member has a positive view of the issue of interest. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus as in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one initiator member has a negative view of the issue of interest. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus as in  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a first network member selected from a group consisting of the at least one initiator member, the at least one first group member, the at least one second group member and the at least one third group member;   a first network social impact score that is associated with the first network member selected from a group consisting of the initiator social impact score, the first member social impact score and the second member social impact score;   a second network having at least one second network member with a second social impact score,   and wherein the second network member is also a first network member;   a total social impact score of the first network member comprising the sum of the first social impact score and the second social impact score.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus as in  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a first network member selected from a group consisting of the at least one initiator member, the at least one first group member, the at least one second group member and the at least one third group member;   a first network social impact score that is associated with the first network member selected from a group consisting of the initiator social impact score, the first member social impact score and the second member social impact score;   a second network having at least one second network member with a second social impact score,   and wherein the second network member is also a first network member;   a total social impact score of the first network member comprising the sum of the first social impact score and the second social impact score.   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus as in  claim 1 , further comprising a comparison of the initiator social impact score and an affiliate social impact score selected from a group consisting of the first member social impact score and the second member social impact score. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus as in  claim 2 , further comprising a comparison of a plurality of total social impact scores. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus as in  claim 5 , further comprising a comparison of plurality of total social impact scores. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus as in  claim 6 , further comprising a comparison of plurality of total social impact scores. 
     
     
         11 . An apparatus comprising:
 an initiator group, the initiator group having at least one initiator member;   a first group, the first group having at least one first group member;   a second group, the second group having at least one second group member;   a third group, the third group having at least one third group member;   a network related to an issue of interest to the at least one initiator member;   a first initiator invitation from the at least one initiator member to affiliate with the network;   a first affiliation between the at least one first group member and the at least one initiator member in response to the first initiator invitation;   a first affiliate invitation from the at least first group member that affiliated in response to the first initiator invitation to the at least one second group member to affiliate with the network;   a second affiliation between the at least one second group member and the at least one first group member that affiliated in response to the first initiator invitation;   a second affiliate invitation from the at least second group member to the at least one third group member to affiliate with the network;   a third affiliation between the at least one third group member and the at least one second group member and the at least one first group member that affiliated in response to the first initiator invitation;   a second initiator invitation from the at least one initiator member to affiliate with the network;   a fourth affiliation between the at least one first group member and the at least one initiator member in response to the second initiator invitation;   a third affiliate invitation from the at least first group member that affiliated in response to the second initiator invitation to the at least one second group member to affiliate with the network;   a fifth affiliation between the at least one second group member and the at least one first group member that affiliated in response to the second initiator invitation;   a fourth affiliate invitation from the at least second group member to the at least one third group member to affiliate with the network;   a sixth affiliation between the at least one third group member and the at least one second group member and the at least one first group member that affiliated in response to the second initiator invitation;   an initiator first invitation market impact score, summing at least the number of first affiliations made at the first invitation of the at least one initiator, the number of second affiliations made at the invitation of the at least one first group member that affiliated in response to the first initiator invitation and the number of third affiliations made at the invitation of the at least one second group member at the invitation of the at least one first group member that affiliated in response to the first initiator invitation;   an initiator second invitation market impact score, summing at least the number of fourth affiliations made at the second invitation of the at least one initiator, the number of fifth affiliations made at the invitation of the at least one first group member that affiliated in response to the second initiator invitation and the number of sixth affiliations made at the invitation of the at least one second group member at the invitation of the at least one first group member the affiliated in response to the second initiator invitation;   wherein each of the at least one initiator member, each of the at least one first group member, each of the at least one second group member and each of the at least one third group member may affiliate with the network a maximum of one time.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus as in  claim 11 , further comprising a comparison of an initiator first invitation market impact score and an initiator second invitation market impact score. 
     
     
         13 . An apparatus comprising:
 an initiator group, the initiator group having at least one initiator member;   a first group, the first group having at least one first group member;   a second group, the second group having at least one second group member;   a third group, the third group having at least one third group member;   a network related to an issue of interest to the at least one initiator member;   an initiator invitation from the at least one initiator member to affiliate with the first network;   a first affiliation between at least one first group member and the at least one initiator member in response to the initiator invitation;   a first invitation from the at least first group member that affiliated in response to the initiator invitation to the at least one second group member to affiliate with the network;   a second affiliation between the at least one second group member and the at least one first group member in response to the first invitation;   a second invitation from the at least second group member to the at least one third group member to affiliate with the network;   a third affiliation between the at least one third group member and the at least one second group member that affiliated with the network in response to the first invitation;   a third invitation from the at least first group member that affiliated with the network in response to the initiator invitation to the at least one second group member to affiliate with the network;   a fourth affiliation between the at least one second group member and the at least one first group member in response to the third invitation from the at least first group member;   a fourth invitation from the at least second group member to the at least one third group member to affiliate with the network;   a fifth affiliation between the at least one third group member and the at least one second group member that affiliated with the network in response to the fourth invitation;   a first group first invitation market impact score summing at least the number of second affiliations and the number of third affiliations;   a first group second invitation market impact score summing at least the number of fourth affiliations and the number of fifth affiliations;   wherein each of the at least one initiator member, each of the at least one first group member, each of the at least one second group member and each of the at least one third group member may affiliate with the network a maximum of one time.   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus as in  claim 13 , further comprising a comparison of a first group first invitation market impact score and a first group second invitation market impact score.